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Sunday, November 29, 2015

In less than a month and it will be Christmas and in keeping with the season I thought I would like to do a couple of landscape drawings with snow covering the ground.

On my first drawing I decided to do one of the snow covered trails on my property that ends at the Snelgrove Brook.

Cold and Calm 1

It is only during the winter after the ice has frozen that I can reach my property on the other side of the brook, otherwise I would have to drive over to the Buckhorn Road to access that section of my land.

For my second drawing I did this pathway from the concession road that runs along my south fence line and again ends at the Snelgrove Brook.

Snow Trail 1

I thought to create interest by leaving a trail of footprints in the snow.

Either of these drawings could be easily developed into beautiful paintings, which I may do at a later date.

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Today I went to KAGS to paint with the Outdoor Painters' Group and would fill in for another member for the evening shift from 4-7p.m.

This is another of the sketches I did earlier this year (see post on 02 August 2015) and I decided to work on this on and get it completed.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my artwork and I hope you will return often.

If you would like more information about OSWOA please go to my post on 12 March 2010.

The OSWOA shown here is an original pen and ink drawing using Staedtler archival, acid free pigment liners on 109 lb. Pentalic Paper for Pens, archival quality, acid free paper. It is priced at $25.00 and sold unframed.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Today I had a dentist appointment in the morning and for noon I had to be at the Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio for a meeting.

Since I wasn't going to go home just to come back down to Peterborough again I decided to wait at the Gallery and paint.

Since Christmas is just a little over a month away I thought I should finish these two paintings that I have been working on for quite a while (see posts on 23 February 2013, 12 and 18 February and 18 August 2014 and 25 August 2015).

The snowman painting didn't need a lot done to it in order for it to be completed.

I painted in the branch arms first with burnt sienna and French ultramarine blue.

Grasses and leaves were painted at the base of the snowman using mixtures of burnt sienna, raw sienna, and alizarin crimson.

Snow Man 1

Now it was time to work on the next piece with the two snow people.

I started with the bonnet and painted it with raw sienna and burnt sienna. The ribbon was various shades of raw sienna and Antwerp blue.

The toque and scarf on the snow child were painted in with mixes of French ultramarine blue and Antwerp blue.

Working back and forth between the two snow people I started by putting in the carrot noses with cadmium red and cadmium yellow.

The shadows were painted with French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna; then alizarin crimson was added to the mix and the eyes, mouth and buttons where painted with this dark mixture.

Snow Lady and Child 1

The grasses were painted with various mixes of raw sienna, burnt sienna and alizarin crimson.

Lastly the branch arms were painted in with burnt sienna and blue.

If you would like more information about ACEO please go to my post on 11 March 2010.

The ACEO shown here are all original watercolour paintings using Artist quality Winsor & Newton paint on 140lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. They are priced at $20.00 each and sold unframed.

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Today I was hanging the Elements of Nature show at KAGS which will open tomorrow.

I was able to get my eight feet of space in my favourite place on the alcove on the far wall.

This year I am donating the painting Northern Winter (see post on 11 April 2012) as the draw prize for the show.

The show features paintings from twenty three members of KAGS Outdoor Painters' Group.

It also has a silent auction from the members with 25% of the proceeds raised going for prizes for the Best of High School art held each year in May at KAGS to encourage our youth to enjoy creating their own original art.

I hope to see some of you on Sunday 15 November 15 for the opening of the show or that you are able to visit the show before it closes on 29 November 15 at 4p.m.

Monday, November 9, 2015

Today Norman, Cindy and I went to the Peterborough Public Library at 345 Aylmer St. N. in Peterborough, Ontario to set up an arrangement of art supplies, paintings and posters in the main display case by the main entrance to promote the Kawartha Artists' Gallery and Studio.

With having had a meeting last month about how we would set up the display it didn't take long to bring in everything we needed.

The display case is 120' (936.6m) long and 4' (1.2m) wide. We rearranged the shelves first and then set up the two largest paintings and the KAGS banner.

From there we started working from the right side of the case to the left, beginning at the bottom.

We put one of Norma's oil paintings toward the back and placed a couple of canvases in front of it, then her paint box beside them followed by my wooden case of Prisma pencils with a couple of water colour sketches and a small block of watercolour paper.

To complete the right side we added a small painting to the shelf, a container with a set of small watercolour brushes, bottles of varnish and paint thinners, a couple of tins with watercolour pencils, a wooden box with various sponges, rulers, pencils and other basic tools.

Lastly we added the poster for the upcoming Elements of Nature Art Show which opens this Sunday 15 November 2015.

Now it was time to complete the left side of the display.

We started by putting two posters with information about KAGS, its beginnings and what its mandate is, complete with a map and all the ways of contacting us.

On the bottom shelf we continued with more art supplies and paintings including another container of brushes, a painter's apron and a water bowl; followed by my wooden case of pastels with pen and ink supplies and some scratch board tools on the lid.

This was finished with a couple of blank canvases and a small painting on an easel.

On the shelf we set up two easels one with a partially completed watercolour painting and the other with a small oil painting. Next to this was another collection of brushes, more little boxes of pastels, drafting tools, and a couple of metal boxes of water soluble pencils and a photograph on stretched canvas.

Lastly we scattered a few small arrangements of silk autumn leaves throughout the display and tossed some individual leaves randomly among the art supplies.

The total time to set up the display took us just over an hour and next week when we return to take the display down it will probably take about half that amount of time.

Saturday, November 7, 2015

I see that deer hunting season has started and the hunters are running their dogs and they are on my property with the intent to hunt without my permission. So once again I will just have to take photographs of the hunters, their vehicles and plates as well as their dogs and continue to report them to the Ministry.

It is sad that some people have no respect for another person's property and I am sure they wouldn't like me trespassing on their property with a rifle and shooting at things without their permission.

This is a painting I started earlier this year with its companion piece Sunlit Buildings 1 (see posts on 07 May, 16 September and 18 October 2015).

I continued with adding more detail to the barn board using various mixtures of French ultramarine blue, burnt sienna and alizarin crimson.

Next came the roof; the raised tin was painted with the dark mix as were the eaves and fascia boards. Using pure burnt sienna the rust was added onto the tin roof.

A small piece of masking tape was added to the open door to keep it lighter.

Now it was time to be bold and glaze over the entire painting to darken it and change it into a night scene.

I mixed together a wash of French ultramarine blue and then added small amounts of burnt sienna, Antwerp blue and alizarin crimson until I was happy with the colour of the paint.

Setting it on a flat surface and using a large brush, I washed over the entire painting and set it aside to dry.

I removed the friskit and the masking tape from the door and the window.

I painted the light into the window and the door with raw sienna and a touch of cadmium yellow. The with more of the glazing colour I darkened the shadows behind the building.

If you would like more information about OSWOA please go to my post on 12 March 2010.

The OSWOA shown here is an original watercolour painting using Artist quality Winsor & Newton paint on 140lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $40.00 and sold unframed.

Friday, November 6, 2015

Since we are having a rainy day today, it is fitting that I work on these paintings of rainy days that I have been working on for a while (see posts on 06 March 2013, 15 July and 08 August 2015).

With the wind warnings in effect our heat wave is coming to an end with the high today being 66F (18.9C) before the temperature drops to seasonal for tomorrow of 48F (8.3C).

Due to the high winds I was without power from 9:30a.m., when we returned from going out to have supper in Peterborough the power had been restored.

It didn't hurt that on the way home we purchased a new generator to replace the old one which had finally decided to give up the ghost.

I started with the birch trees and added the markings using mixtures of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna.

Using new gamboge and Antwerp blue I filled in the rest of the grass area and added a little French ultramarine blue for the darker grasses in the foreground.

I set the painting aside thinking it was complete.

Rainy Day 2

Then I added a shadow down the side of the birch trees with French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna.

Adding new gamboge and Antwerp blue to the shadow colour I added leaves on the birch trees using a sponge.

I started by lightly drawing in the background and adding a birch tree.

Next I completed the old, dead tree and added the markings on the birch.

I painted in the background grass and trees using the same colours as in the previous painting.

Lastly I ran a pale wash of burnt sienna down the trunk on the birch.

Rainy Day 3

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and enjoy the artwork.

If you would like more information about ACEO please go to my post on 11 March 2010.

The ACEO shown here are all original watercolour paintings using Artist quality Winsor & Newton paint on 300lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. They are priced at $20.00 each and sold unframed.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

While today brings us a mix of sun and cloud the temperature reached 74F (23.3C) and the humidity made it feel like 77F (25C). It is the fourth day of unexpectedly warm weather which seems to increase by two degrees each day where in other years we have had snow already on the ground.

I started thinking of a warmer days and being out in the canoe on one of the lakes in the area.

I pulled out the sketches I did from earlier this year when we were on Loon Call Lake (see post on 26 September 2015).

Then I put in the outline of the top of the rocks to give a ground for the tree and growies.

Next I put in the tree, which had a split trunk near to the top showing that it suffered some form of trauma in the past from the elements.

The growies and small bushes were added to the base of the tree.

I put in the dark water line at the bottom of the rocks and added some shadows onto the rocks.

Lastly I put the reflection of the tree into the water.

This original 6" x 11” pen and ink drawing when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $50.00.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

This morning I went to the Dancing Blueberries in Peterborough and met with Howard Berry to take down my paintings and help him hang his paintings.

It didn't take very long to exchange the paintings and I continued on my way to the printer's to pick up the posters and invitations for the upcoming KAGS Outdoor Painters' Group Show called "Elements of Nature" before heading to the Gallery.

I was pleased to see that one of my paintings was selected to appear on this year's poster.

The show runs from 11-29 November 15 with the opening being on 15 November 2015 from 1:00-4:00p.m.

Monday, November 2, 2015

Today is the first day of unseasonably mild weather for the week before a cold front comes through and brings it back down to seasonal temperatures. To have 68F (20C) with sunshine in November is a bonus that I am going to enjoy.

I was looking through some of the sketches I did during the summer (see post on 02 August 2015) while canoeing on Lovesick Lake. I pulled this one out and decided to complete the pen and ink drawing.

I started with the pine tree which was not doing very well on its island home and its companion pine had already given up the ghost.

What I liked about the tree was the fact that it was still fighting to keep its place on the small island that was no longer able to support it and I wouldn't be surprised when next time we go back to Lovesick Lake to find the tree either dead or having been broken by the harsh winter winds.

Once both trees had been completed I started on the smaller bushes at their base and which were a rich yellow green.

Next I put in the reflections and lastly I did the rocks at the edge of the water which were pale pink granite.

This original 3-1/4" x 9" pen and ink when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $25.00.

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork and I hope you will return often.